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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041187">The 4th Cookout</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/piper__b/pseuds/piper__b'>piper__b</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuela Knows, Athena being a mom to Buck, Athena thinks Buck and Eddie are oblivious dumbasses, Bobby being a dad to Eddie, Bobby is too old for these two, Buck being a great dad to Chris and everyone loves it, Buck caring for everyone, Buck comforting him!!, Chris loving on Buck, Christopher Diaz is a National Treasure, Christopher Diaz is a Sweetheart, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Family Feels, Hen and Athena walked in on them, Jealous Eddie Diaz, M/M, Mentions of Buck's past, Multi, PTSD-on Eddie's end, The 118 being a family, but they're not as oblivious as she thinks, chimney is so confused, just overall fluff for the whole team, of course she does, these idiots are so in love god dammit, they make a mess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:35:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,475</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/piper__b/pseuds/piper__b</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She shook her head and waved her hand, continuing down the steps. Buck smiles and uses his free arm to wrap around Pepa. Unknown to Buck, he had had quite and audience for a moment. The team of the 118, pluse Athena, had been watching the man with Eddie's kid. Athena shook her head and caught the sort of dreamy look Eddie had in his eyes while watching them.</p><p>Athena found it crazy how in love these two men were yet refused to let that be seen by each other. Oblivious assholes, that's what Athena thinks of them. </p><p>OR;</p><p>The 118 have their traditional 4th cookout.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Athena Grant, Evan "Buck" Buckley &amp; Christopher Diaz &amp; Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>349</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Long time, no see, my friends. I've been struggling with writing for a few weeks now, quaratine and all, but I thought of this and fell in love with this idea! So, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's tradition that every year, they have a large cookout together on the fourth. Athena and Bobby told everyone they knew and were close with. </p><p>Athena was whipping up some fruit salad with the whipped cream and marshmallows, when Buck and Eddie came in, carrying a stack of chairs Hen told them to grab. </p><p>They carried it down the stairs and out the door of the patio. May was right next to her mother's side, mixing some sort of alcoholic Kool-Aid for the adults and making regular Kool-Aid for the kids like herself. </p><p>Bobby was stationed at the grill, cooking up burgers and hot dogs for the bunch of people who would be coming around today. He called Eddie over to help him with the meat and Eddie came jogging over.</p><p>Guests really started flooding in now, one by one, family by family. Buck welcomed Chimney and Maddie with a hig, smiling and laughing at Maddie's surprised face. She hasn't been to enough 118 parties to know yet that they go full out with their decorations and parties.</p><p>Hen starts playing music, but Buck can still the distinctive 'click click' of Chris's crutches in the hallway. Buck stands and jogs over, smiling to the small boy, Abuela, and Pepa. </p><p>"Hey, buddy!" Buck cheered, smiling and the boy seemed to walk faster. Buck picked up Chris and spun the kid as he giggled loudly. "Hola, Abuela," Buck said, smiling cheekily at the older woman.</p><p>She shook her head and waved her hand, continuing down the steps. Buck smiles and uses his free arm to wrap around Pepa. Unknown to Buck, he had had quite and audience for a moment. The team of the 118, pluse Athena, had been watching the man with Eddie's kid. Athena shook her head and caught the sort of dreamy look Eddie had in his eyes while watching them.</p><p>Athena found it crazy how in love these two men were yet refused to let that be seen by each other. Oblivious assholes, that's what Athena thinks of them. </p><p>Eddie stood and went to join the blond and son. Chris squealed seeing Eddie. May brought over a tray of drinks, pointing out which are what kind of Kool-Aid and what type of alcohol is mixed in.</p><p>Eddie and Buck joined the table again, Chris sitting on Buck's lap. More people were slowly filtering into the house. Once a bunch of people were inside, they started serving the food. Buck sat Chris down on his chair before grabbing a food from Bobby. He helped plate a burger, or hot dog, some coleslaw, fruit salad, a bun and a few others.</p><p>He put down a plate for Chris and kissed his head before dishing out more to the rest of the people.</p><p>"How the hell are so good at serving?" Chimney asked as he watched Buck move fluidly.</p><p>"Teenage job at a dinner, then I was a bartender before I became a firefighter," Buck said, smiling to the team before handing out more plates. Maddie smiles at her little brother. </p><p>Once everyone has a plate of food, Eddie and Buck both sit down (almost at the same time and the same way), and dig in themselves. Athena shakes her head once again before eating her own food and chatting with the people around her.</p><p>Once dinner was over and cleanup began, Athena started to usher people outdoors to the blankets and chairs they set up earlier.</p><p>One thing about Athena and Bobby's house is that they have an amazing view of the fireworks. Unless you count Bucks's apartment, then he wins that argument. </p><p>Buck cleaned up the plates and forks along with unused cups with Eddie. Everyone else had fled outside to make sure they didn't miss the fireworks. Eddie leaned over when he thought nobody was looking and pecked Buck's lips. The blond smiled and leaned into him, letting Eddie snake an arm around his waist. </p><p>They went outside after wrapping up the food and salads. Athena nearly shit herself at seeing the little intimate moment between them. She felt kind of bad seeing it though. </p><p>Buck and Eddie sat down on a blanket with Chris, Abuela, and Pepa, hands entangling on the blanket under them. Chris was oblivious to it as he plopped himself on Buck's lap, staring up at the dark sky. </p><p>Soon enough, fireworks started bursting in the sky, lighting them all up with copious amounts of color. The booms each time scared Chris a few times, and some of the older women and men, but they were all smiling nonetheless.</p><p>Bobby smiled, remembering the comment Buck had made earlier that day.</p><p>'Think you'll be able to take all the booms later, old man? Isn't that stressful for the heart?' </p><p>Bobby has scoffed and pushed the laughing man away, grumbling about not being old. Buck had shown so much love and before the fireworks started, he made sure Pepa and Abuela were nice and comfy on the ground and whispering to Eddie.</p><p>Eddie sometimes feels like he's on cloud nine with Buck. He's always so caring, and thoughtful when it comes to not only his job, but him and Chris too. His Abuela and Pepa also. It filled Eddie to the brim with feelings he hasn't felt in a long time. </p><p>When they were getting the chairs from the back of Eddie truck, Buck had turned to him and leaned against the tailgate, looking at Buck with a seriousness sin his eyes that it scared him almost.</p><p>"Will you be okay?" Buck asked once Eddie set down a stack of chairs.</p><p>"Okay? For what?" Eddie asked, stopping his movements to look at the serious man.</p><p>"Y'know, the fireworks. If they trigger anything, I can always drag you to the trucks and block them out," Buck said, eyes keeping with Eddie's. Eddie felt a burning sensation in his eyes as he enveloped his boyfriend in a hug. God, Buck always take care of him and it hurts Eddie in a way.</p><p>"Yeah, Buck, I'll be fine, but if they get to be too much, I'll let you know," Eddie whispered, trying desperately to push back the tears. Buck's arms wrap aroudn him as he kisses Eddie's neck.</p><p>"Of course." They hold each other for a bit longer before Eddie pulls back and pecks Buck's lips before he goes back to the chairs. Buck smiles and grabs a stack himself, walking into the house with Eddie.</p><p>Now, Buck it sitting on the blanket with Chris and Eddie, every now and then looking to Eddie to make sure he was okay. During one of his peeks, Eddie turned too, smiling to Buck. There was a particularly loud firework that caught Eddie off guard and Buck saw the panic flash in his eyes for a moment. </p><p>Buck squeezes Eddie's hand tightly, urging him closer. Eddie does so, leaning his head on Buck's shoulder. Nobody notices as more and more fireworks go off. They had a few more of those panic scenes before the night was over, but not too many. Its usually the nights before the 4th. That have early shifts and the fireworks that got off at night scare the life out of Eddie when he wakes suddenly form his slumber because of a loud bang.</p><p>There's been many nights when Buck has to sit with Eddie and bring him back down, clam him and show him he's safe. And Buck did it all with opens arms and soft eyes. Never once complaining. </p><p>Everyone slowly gets up from their respective chairs and blankets. They start to fold them up, or stack them in piles for Buck and Eddie to carry back to his truck. They start on that, moving the stacks two at a time as Chris was starting to fall asleep against Abuela. He was usually always so hyper and bouncy after something like this, but the say was long and he played for nine five percent of the day.</p><p>They slide the chairs into the bed, Harry sliding them to the backs and pushing them together and securing them. Eddie and Buck wander back in and carry out the last set of chairs just as Athena is carrying in a sleeping Chris. She hands him off to Eddie so he can take him outside and strap him in his carseat. </p><p>Buck was about to follow him out when Athena caught his arm. He looked down at the woman who he practically called mom. She just smiled at him and Buck knew that she had saw them earlier. He smiled back and she waved him out.</p><p>He jogged after his boyfriend and son, smiling to Bobby and the others on his way out. Abuela and Pepa were right behind them, smiling at Athena.</p><p>"They're amazing, arent they?" Abuela asked Athena and the woman sighed. </p><p>"Yes. And it's about time they got together." Abuela snorted gently.</p><p>"They haven't told anyone yet because they're just trying it out. It has been three months, but they are still wary about telling you all. They wait until they feel as if it'll last," Abuela said quietly, Athena nodding in understanding. Then Abuela started on her way, Pepa following behind.</p><p>Buck hops into the driver's seat of the truck, watching as Eddie gets into the passenger seat. Eddie watches Chris sleep on the way home, smiling every once and a while. </p><p>Buck parks the truck in the driveway, turning over the ignition and getting out. Eddie is right behind him, but Buck beats him to Chris, gently picking up the small boy from his car seat. He Carrie's Chris inside and slips him into some pj's before slipping him into his sheets. </p><p>Buck kissed his head then Eddie did before they both left the room. Buck chuckled when Eddie grabbed his hand and drug him to his bedroom. They fell onto the bed in a hushed laughter, smiling widely at each other.</p><p>Once they quieted down, their eyes met in the darkness. They leaned together and allowed each other to kiss like they had wanted to all day. Their lips slide together and join them. </p><p>"I love you," Buck whispers gently, resting their foreheads together. Eddie smiles and cups his cheek, pulling them closer together. Eddie's head rests on his shoulder.</p><p>"I love you too," Eddie replied quietly and Buck smiles, wrapping himself around the older man. Eddie holds himself close, breathing in Buck's smell. Both men soon fell asleep, ignoring the sounding booms outside still going off around the neighborhood.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The 4th Pt.2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Which, how they both come out, was a few months later, at a club. They were both drunk in a booth and giggling to themselves. A girl came over to try and flirt with Buck when Eddie "rudely" interrupted her by pulling Buck over and making out with said man.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The 4th, pt.2</p><p>Buck woke the next morning, feeling Eddie's breathing fanning over his left peck. He smiles and pulls Eddie closer, sighing in contentment. The door slowly opens and Chris comes in on his crutches, one fist rubbing an eye. Buck smiles as Christopher shuts the door, hobbling over to the two men.</p><p>He sets his crutches against the side table before Buck opened his left arm. Christopher crawled onto the bed, snuggling in close to Buck and Eddie. Soon, both Diaz's were asleep and Buck smiles contentedly. </p><p>He lays there for a solid twenty minutes before his door starts to open again. Panic rises in him, but it soon fades when it's just Hen peeking in. She gasps and Buck just smiles to the woman. She waves her hand before slipping back out of the room. </p><p>Buck lays back down and basks in the perfect feeling of the room.</p><p>~</p><p>"Buck and Eddie probably just spaced it out," Hen assured as she, Chimney, Maddie, and Athena drove up into the Diaz driveway. "We did have a long night." Maddie nods from behind her. Chimney looks up at Hen in concern.</p><p>"They never miss anything though!" His arms fly up, exasperated. Hen shakes her head and Athena turns on Chimney then.</p><p>"Yeah, and remember that when you two have a kid," Athena snaps at Chimney, throwing a motherly glare at him. That shuts him up and Chimney nods. Maddie smiles to Athena then.</p><p>Hen parks the car and slips out. "Stay." She points to them all. Chimney looks offended, Maddie snorts and Athena fixes her with a glare. Hen snorts as she runs into the house. She uses her spare key they all traded and walked inside.</p><p>The house was oddly quiet and her eyebrow went up. She wandered the kitchen and the living room befor removing to the master bedroom. She slowly opens the door and see's the panic flash across Buck's face.</p><p>As she sees the whole scene, her heart erupts. Eddie and Chris are both snuggled up, snoozing peacefully against Buck's broad chest. She gasps and watches as Buck relaxes into the bed. She smiles before waving her hand and slipping from the room.</p><p>An excuse, an excuse? What could she say that wouldn't alert the team? She stops in the hallway to think. She wasn't going to out the two because seeing the panic on her friends face hurt her slightly. </p><p>Chris was still sleeping, so was Eddie. Buck being Buck, didn't want to disrupt them. It wasn't a lie by the look of it. Hen wanders outside, locking the door behind her. She walks to her car, sliding into her seat.</p><p>"So?" Chimney asks, looking at Hen expectantly. </p><p>"Buck was awake, but Eddie and Chris were passed out still. Buck didn't want to wake them like the smol bean he is," Hen says as she starts the car. "Said that they'll join us another time." Chimney nods along with Maddie. While those two are busy talking, Hen turns to Athena. She gives her a look and Athena knows.</p><p>_____________</p><p>Chris and Buck eventually slip out of bed and to the kitchen. Buck had remembered the breakfast he was supposed to go to this morning and shot Hen a text.</p><p>Buck:<br/>Hey, sorry abt missing the breakfast this morning.</p><p>Hen:<br/>Hey, you're good, buckaroo. And I didnt tell Chim or Mad about the scene, but Athena knows apparently</p><p>Buck:<br/>Yeah, makes sense. Thanks. I'll make sure to make it up</p><p>Hen:<br/>You better, bitch</p><p>Buck laughs to himself before looking down at Chris next to him. </p><p>"So, waffles, French toast, or pancakes?" Buck asks the kid. Chridtopher smiles up at him. </p><p>"Waffles!" He cheers, smiling at Buck. The older man smiles and pulls out the ingredients and the waffle iron. He and Chris start to mix them together and pour them onto the hot, oiled pan. They cook a few waffles before Buck sits Chris down at the table. He plates one for him with a butter knife and some syrup with a fork. </p><p>Chris gets his waffles ready before he looks up at Buck with a pout and puppy dog eyes. Buck shakes his head with a smile before going to the fridge. He pulls out the can whipped cream and heads over to Chris. He sprays some on his waffles, watching at the boys smile lights up.</p><p>As soon as he puts the can down, Eddie comes wandering out of the room. He shakes his head at the sight of the two people he loves the most. Before Eddie can ask, Buck places a cup of coffee in his hands. Eddie smiles gratefully and sips the liquid. He looks a little more awake.</p><p>Eddie leans over and kisses his cheek before sitting next to Chris. Buck places a plate in front of him and puts a little whippered cream on Eddie waffles before slipping some on his finger and spreading it across Eddie cheek. Eddie gasped and Chris started laughing next to them. Buck runs before Eddie can retaliate.</p><p>"Oh, you're on, Buckley," Eddie growls, watching as Buck is laughing in the kitchen. When Buck does sit down, Eddie slaps his face with a hand full of whipped cream. Buck sits stunned for a moment while Chris is trying hard to breathe through his laughter. </p><p>Eddie starts laughing himself at the sight. Buck just sits there, curls everywhere with half a face full of whipped cream. But then, Eddie is caught off guard when Buck sprays whipped cream on him. He jumps and runs from the table laughing. Buck follows him with the can.</p><p>Chris is watching in amusement as he eats his waffle. But when Eddie smears some of the whipped sugar on his face and glasses, Crhsi calls it game on. He takes some syrup and pours it on his father, watching as the man startles and moves away.</p><p>By the end of their whole food fight, the whole kitchen and dining rooms are a mess, Buck, Eddie and Chris are covered in syurp and whipped cream. Just then, Athena and Hen decide to walk in the front door. They both stop in their tracks at the sight, cracking up. Buck and Chris both have goofy, shit-eating grins on their faces while Eddie just looks down right guilty. </p><p>Athena and Hen just laugh, shaking their heads as the door shuts behind them. </p><p>"Well, this was unexpected," Athena says, staring at the mess in the room. Buck and Chris are still smiling when Athena walks over. "You two," she points to Buck and Eddie, "shower. Now." They look at each other than at Athena. "Together, seperated, I don't give a shit, go shower." She waves her hand. Both men smile before Eddie runs to the bathroom. Bcuk runs to Athena, kisses her cheek sloppily before running after his boyfriend.</p><p>Athena grimaces before wiping her cheek. Hen and Athena both look at the small boy standing in front of them.</p><p>"In all fairness, Buck started," Chris admits and Hen starts laughing. Athena shakes her head.</p><p>"Of course." Hen and Athena start to clean up before they turn to Chris. "Go make sure your fathers aren't doing anything bad and get yourself cleaned." Athena says with a smile. Chris nods happily and wanders off. When he opens the bathroom door, Buck is laughing against the counter while Eddie is in the shower.</p><p>Buck looks clean and Chris smiles.</p><p>"Hey, buddy. Did grandma Athena send you in here?" Buck asks, wrapping a towel around his waist.</p><p>"Yup. She said to make sure you two weren't doing anything and to get cleaned." Buck nodded and Chris started to stop down. Buck helped when Chris nedded it. Then he opened the shower curtain and helped him into the bathtub. </p><p>Eddie looks startled before smiling down at Chris. Eddie cleans Chris while Buck leaves the bathroom. He walks to the kitchen and sees it's almost clean. Athena is putting away a mop when she sees Buck. He's clean and Athena smiles. </p><p>Hen smirks from the kitchen and Buck flips him off.</p><p>"Nothing happened. I was just laughing at Eddie because he had syurp in his asscrack," Buck says, laughing all over again. Hen cracks up in the kitchen, bending over the sink as she starts laughing too. Athena shake sherry head as if saying 'literal children.'</p><p>"Babyyyyy!" Eddie yells down the hallway and Buck runs off, getting to the bedroom. Chris is already dressed and moving on his way out of the room. Eddie pulls Buck in as the door shuts behind the boy. Their lips join between them, pulling each other closer. </p><p>They pull apart after a moment, smiling at each other. They get dressed, sneaking kisses every now and then. Once they're both dressed, they head out to the kitchen. Hen's playing with Chris while Athena sits at the cleaned table. </p><p>"Sit," she says in her motherly tone. Buck and Eddie comply. She smiles at them. "When you goin' to tell the team?" Athena asks, watching as they both tense. Then Buck shrugs. </p><p>"We want to keep it on the down low; see how it works with work, life, y'know?" Buck says and Athena nods, smiling to the two men.</p><p>"I get that. Can't wait to see how you both come out with this."</p><p>_____________</p><p>Which, how they both come out, was a few months later, at a club. They were both drunk in a booth and giggling to themselves. A girl came over to try and flirt with Buck when Eddie "rudely" interrupted her by pulling Buck over and making out with said man.</p><p>Chimney, Bobby, and Maddie sat there, shocked while Athena and Hen started cheering. They pulled apart, panting, red lips glistening in spit. The girl had left by now. Athena, Hen, and Maddie started clapping them on the back, bringing over more shots to celebrate. </p><p>Chimney and Bobby just kind of stared at them before accepting it and downing some shots. Then, Maddie drug Buck and Eddie to the dance floor with her.</p><p>Even though she was very pregnant, (she wasn't drinking, clearly), she still drug both men out there and let them dance with each other.</p><p>They couldn't think of a more perfect way to them coming out.</p>
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